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[Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder in older adults]
Taeko Sakuma-Sasai1, Yuichi Inoue
1Department of Somnology, Tokyo Medical University.
Abstract:
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by dream-enacting behavior associated with vivid, action-filled, or unpleasant dreams accompanied by REM sleep without atonia (RWA), a tonic or phasic electromyogram (EMG), which is an important physiological basis of RBD. Dream-enacting behaviors, such as sleep talking, shouting, and vigorous or elaborate body movements including punching, kicking, sitting up, and falling out of bed, often engender an elevated risk of self-injury and harm to others. Reportedly, this disorder often occurs in middle-aged men and a certain rate of patients with this disorder progress to alpha-synucleinopathies. Given these, correct diagnosis and proper treatment as well as clarifying its pathophysiology are desirable in our graying society.
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